The Venetian House in Chalkida on Evia

While exploring Chalkida, the capital of Evia, it is worth visiting the building located near the church of Agia Paraskevi, known as "the Vailo house."

This simple, two-story structure surrounded by greenery and a charming tavern hides three phases of construction: Venetian, Turkish, and neoclassical.

It is the first phase, from the period of Venetian occupation, that is most prominently displayed today. The first floor (ground level) features an arched portico, a loggia, and a hall leading to the large Agia Paraskevi square.

The Vailo building, along with the church of Agia Paraskevi and the square between them, was an important sacred site, an administrative and commercial center during the Venetian era.

It was also part of an ambitious plan to rebuild Chalkida, aiming to create a new administrative, religious, and commercial center.

During the Turkish rule, the Vailo house continued to be used as a residence, resulting in significant alterations, mainly to the interior. Many of these were destroyed in recent years as new elements representing the dominant neoclassical style of the modern period were added. The quality of construction and its direct connection to the metropolitan temple of Chalkida.